A Knight's Honour
by Pokeluv101
Summary: Misono and Tetsu were engaged to be married but have never met each other in their lives. But Misono refused to marry a man he barely knew. So, under the guise of being a knight, Misono went to discover what kind of person he is. Tetsu was resigned to marrying for his kingdom but surprisingly found himself falling in love with the knight protecting him. {Tetsono/Knight AU}
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Servamp or any of the characters**

* * *

"Excuse me?" Tetsu felt someone pull on his cape and he looked over his shoulder to see who was trying to catch his attention. He didn't recognize the man so he knew he didn't work in his castle or the village. The dignified air he had around him also told Tetsu that he was far more than the mere knight he was dressed as. He was rather short but still held his head high with pride as he held out a letter to Tetsu.

"My name is Misono and the Kingdom of Wonderland has sent me to escort Prince Tetsu to the royal wedding. Take me to your king and prince so I may speak with them." The knight ordered and Tetsu nodded. He turned and began to walk to the throne room without a word, leaving the man to follow him. Tetsu matched his strides to the knight's and they fell into step beside each other.

"May I ask you about your prince? What kind of man is he? Does he treat his subjects well? As a knight, do you believe that he is a fit leader?" The knight began to fire questions at him faster than he could answer.

"I don't know," Tetsu answered with a shrug and the knight rubbed his temple. It was obvious that his answer wasn't satisfying for the knight but there was no other answer he could give. He looked frustrated and his brows furrowed. Before Tetsu could stop himself, he gently poked his forehead. "Don't look down. You can ask Hugh your questions about me now that we're at the throne room."

"You're Prince Tetsu?" Misono exclaimed but Tetsu kept his expression calm as he opened the heavy door to the throne room. He held it open for him but Misono stood in place, studying him carefully. From the reports he read about Tetsu's mild nature, he thought he would be younger. But this man was a giant and looked like he could fight an army singlehandedly.

"Tetsu you're late. Did you get lost again? The representatives from the Kingdom of Wonderland are here and have been waiting for you." A short man walked forward and began to scold him.

"I'm sorry, Hugh. I was showing Chibi Knight around." Tetsu apologized and Misono's brow twitched. Chibi Knight? Why on earth would he call him short and cute? Tetsu didn't sense Misono's anger boiling behind him and continued to speak with Hugh.

"Misono, please stay calm." Lily appeared beside him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. He was Misono's advisor and closest friend so he could quell Misono's anger easily. "Where did you go? You know you shouldn't run off while we're in another country. It's dangerous."

"I know but I wanted to talk with some of the staff. I didn't expect to run into Prince Tetsu. Hopefully, escorting him home won't be too much trouble." Misono sighed. They were tasked with escorting the prince to the Kingdom of Wonderland to fulfil an arranged marriage. The White Water Kingdom and the Kingdom of Wonderland bordered each other and their alliance would strengthen their defenses.

"Pardon me, are you two finished? We need to talk about the journey to the Kingdom of Wonderland. We'll be travelling through each other's kingdom but we should be cautious. There are still people who are opposed to our alliance, after all." Misono commanded their attention. While he wasn't the strongest or most skilled fighter, his value was in being a tactician.

"I think it's best that you talk to Mahiru and Hugh about those plans. They're my advisors," Tetsu told Misono who sighed. To Misono, it seemed like he didn't have a care in the world. "I'll show you to the great hall where you can talk. If you don't need me anymore, I'll go tend to the horses."

"Where do you think you're going? You're a prince so you need to sit in and listen to our meeting. This is your life we're discussing so why are you acting so casual? Do you now know your position or how important this alliance is? Are you alright with just leaving it to us?" Misono found his frustration mounting when Tetsu merely tilted his head at him.

"I'm fine with that because I trust you." Tetsu's voice was calm but it was filled with conviction that shocked Misono. "And I do understand. This alliance is to protect my people. I'm not good with politics or strategy so I don't want to waste your time. But I'll use what I'm good at to protect everyone."

Misono couldn't helped but feel a slight tinge of respect for Tetsu. His words made Misono feel like they were oddly alike and different at the same time. He had always been painfully aware of his weaknesses but tried to find another strength he could use to protect people. Albeit, their strengths were complete opposites.

"Wait, you trust me? How can you say that about a man you barely met?" Misono raised a brow at him.

"Instinct, I guess. Your eyes aren't evil." Tetsu told him as he leaned closer to look into his eyes. Misono felt himself blush and had to step back to avoid his gaze.

"That's our prince! His instincts are never wrong." Hugh's said cheerfully and pulled Misono out of his thoughts. It was clear to see the admiration Hugh had for Tetsu and Misono wonder if his other subjects were similar. As he followed Tetsu, he wondered if there could be more to the prince than he first thought.

* * *

" _Con: He calls me 'Chibi Knight'_. Now, Misono, I don't think a nickname should be considered a detraction to his character." Lily said as he read over the notes Misono made. In reality, Misono wasn't a simple knight but the prince Tetsu was arranged to be married to. While he would do anything for his people, he didn't want to blindly accept an arranged marriage.

Since he was young, Lily and his brother had told him about the importance of marrying for love. So, he created a plan where he would be able to meet Tetsu without him being aware of his identity and title. Throughout his life, people had treated him differently because of his title and weaknesses. Only his brother and Lily valued him as his own person.

"Did you get to the con where he won't attend important meetings? I don't understand why my father wants me to marry him and become the King. Mikuni would be a better king than me." Misono sighed and sat on the edge of the fountain. Mikuni was his older brother and would've been destined to be king if he hadn't left. Misono didn't know why he left but now he had the responsibility of protecting their kingdom.

"I think you'll be a wonderful king." Lily told him with a reassuring smile and Misono mirrored it. He was glad that Lily supported his plan and insisted on joining him on the journey. While his father prohibited him to leave, Lily helped him. "But a good king shouldn't be quick to judge his fiancé. This journey hasn't begun yet."

"And if I find more things to dislike about him? I know this marriage is important but I don't know if we'll be compatible." Misono placed his notes into his bag. He heard someone approach them and stood, hoping the person didn't hear their conversation.

Tetsu approached them, leading a pair of horses behind him. He handed one of their reins to Misono with a blank expression so he doubted he overheard the conversation. "Everyone's ready to leave."

"Then we should get going while it's still dark. But I would like to meet these knights you've chosen. Are you sure they can be trusted?" Misono asked Tetsu nodded in answer. They decided to only take a small party to avoid drawing attention to themselves. The party was made up of three trusted knights and Tetsu's two advisors.

"They're waiting in front of the gate." Misono didn't wait for Tetsu to lead him and walked ahead. He walked to the gate and saw a group standing in front of a wagon. He met Mahiru and Hugh already but hadn't spoken to the knights yet. Misono watched them carefully as he held out his hand to the man closest to him.

"My name is Misono and I will be leading this journey."

"You're going to lead us?" The blonde knight chuckled and Misono frowned because he already knew what the knight was thought of him. "Why did the Kingdom of Wonderland send us a tiny knight like you? Tetsu's probably going to protect you more than the other way around."

"Be respectful, Hyde! He's a representative from an ally kingdom." Mahiru scolded but Hyde only shrugged with a grin. "I'm sorry about that, Misono. Hyde might be a little… difficult but he's a great knight. Aside from him, Kuro and Licht will be joining as well. I can assure you that they're great knights."

Misono nodded to them but from their expression, he knew they thought the same as Hyde. When he turned to mount his horse, his eyes met Tetsu's. His eyes didn't seem to judge him and Misono found himself turning back to the knights. People had perceived him as weak because of his size but he suddenly felt as if he wanted to prove his strength in front of Tetsu.

"Hyde, a knight should know not to judge an opponent." Misono turned to face him. "Underestimating him will lead to your death. You don't appear to be wearing chainmail or any other type of armour. An enemy familiar with throwing weapon can take you off guard."

"I don't need armour. You see—" Hyde felt something fly pass his head and he turned to see a throwing knife lodge itself into the side of the cart. It had come so close to taking off his ear but he knew that wasn't its intention. Misono walked pass him and pulled out the knife without a word. He didn't need to say anything for them to understand.

"Misono is very talented with throwing knives. No one has better aim than him," Lily boasted with a proud smile. Though he wondered what prompt Misono's haughty demonstration when he would usually ignore people's comments about his height.

"Buy yourself some armour and common sense when we reach the next town, Hyde. We can't delay this journey any more and waste the moonlight." Misono mounted his horse and turned it towards the path. As he rode, he could feel Tetsu's eyes on him. "What? You think I was wrong to do that?"

"I was thinking that you're pretty interesting." Tetsu face finally changed from its usual calm expression. He gave Misono a small smile and he could feel his heart beat strangely. So, he turned away and kicked his horse into a trot. He was surprised when Tetsu did the same and rode next to him. "Hugh always said that sharing our strength with others is a sign of trust. I'm glad you trust us."

"You're looking too much into it." Misono puffed his cheeks. "Shouldn't you be riding in the wagon for safety?"

"I like riding with everyone. Anyways, they're fighting and putting their lives on the line for me so it's not fair if I'm the only one hiding." Tetsu told him simply, as if it was the obvious answer. Misono knew many nobles in his life but none were as humble as Tetsu. He was different than what he expected.

"Since we met, you haven't asked about the Prince of Wonderland. Don't you care about what kind of guy you're marrying? You never met him before but you're going to marry him without any argument."

"Hugh said he was a good guy and I trust his word. I'm sure I'll learn to love him." Tetsu said but his voice didn't hold the conviction Misono heard earlier when he spoke about protecting his people. "At least I know you and Lily now so I won't be too lonely when I start living in Wonderland. So, it'll be fun if we can become friends."

"As long as you promise not to complain to me about your fiancé too much." Misono held out his hand to Tetsu. Honestly, he never had a friend outside the servants in his castle. But becoming friends with Tetsu would help him learn more about him. "You can call me your friend then."

To Misono's shock, Tetsu took his hand and lifted it to his lips. He brushed his lips over his hand and Misono jumped back in reaction. He would've fallen off his horse if it wasn't for Tetsu holding onto his hand securely. Lily came beside them and helped Misono onto his horse again. Tetsu let go of his hand with a concerned frown. "Are you okay?"

"What was that for? You don't go around kissing a guy's hand like that when you're engaged!" Misono yelled before kicking his horse into a gallop to ride ahead of him. He could feel his face flush and he tried to outrun the reason for his blush. Unfortunately, he could hear Tetsu riding after him.

"God, why did I make this stupid plan?" Misono whispered to himself and wondered how their journey would end.

* * *

 **Chase after your chibi knight Tetsu XD Tetsu's kingdom is based of the name of his family's hot spring and I had to name Misono's Wonderland because I love referencing it. But there's no magic in this world and I want this to be a medieval setting.**

 **I originally posted this on my tumblr but I decided to post it here as well because I'm losing inspiration on my other projects and I didn't want to let my ff account become inactive.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimers: I do not own Servamp or any of the characters**

* * *

 _Con: He kissed my hand,_ Misono wrote in his notebook but he debated if it was valid. Tetsu kissed his hand without any hesitation so it could mean that he was a flirt. On the other hand, they were engaged to be married so it could be nothing but a customary greeting. Then again, Tetsu didn't know that he was actually the prince he was engaged to.

"This is pointless," Misono groaned and looked over the growing list of notes he made about Tetsu. When he first decided to learn more about Tetsu, he thought it would be simple. He was planning to make a list of Tetsu's pros and cons before deciding if he should go through with their arrangement. But spending time with him, Misono found it hard to determined what kind of person he was.

"Here you are, Misono." He looked up to see Lily standing over him. Misono wanted to keep his true identity a secret so left the group to write in his notebook privately. Lily looked over his shoulder and skimmed through his notes. "Have you thought of any pros for him yet? Wait, did your con list double since the last time I read this? Con: He has terrible judgement about people."

"Well, he does!" Misono said quickly to defend himself. "Look at those three knights of his. Hyde is insufferable and so cocky that he doesn't bother with armour. Then there's Kuro who does nothing but sleep in the wagon so I doubt he'll be able to react fast enough to fight effectively. Lastly, that man claiming to be an angel is delusional."

"Misono, remember when you said that a knight shouldn't judge a person so quickly? You should also remember your own advice when making your notes." Lily told him and Misono grumbled to himself. He knew that Lily was only thinking of what was best for him, both as his advisor and friend. "And I have a pro for you to write down. He was worried about you and asked me where you went."

"He was?" Misono had to wonder about the reason Tetsu would worry about a man he barely knew. He was accustomed to people fretting and worrying over him because of his health when he was younger. But Tetsu couldn't possibly know about that. "Well, I guess I should be heading back so he won't get too distracted. He needs to be alert in case someone attacks."

Lily nodded to him and they walked back to their small camp. It wasn't elaborate because they were only stopping to let the horses drink from the river. Mahiru was the first to see him and waved to him. He was a diligent person and Misono was glad that there was at least one capable person. He climbed into the wagon and looked at the map Mahiru was studying.

"I was looking at the course we talked about." Mahiru told him. "It's best if you want to avoid any towns or villages but I'm a little worried about what we're going to do if something happens. A sneak attack can occur and the road is too narrow to retreat quickly. The wagon will be difficult to turn on this road but we can't abandon it either."

"Then we should send a scout ahead. Hyde should be best since he doesn't appear to be your traditional knight." Misono decided and Mahiru nodded.

"Why don't we just use the larger paths that takes us through the villages?" Kuro asked and turned to face him. He had been so still and quiet that Misono thought that he was sleeping. Kuro languidly knelt next to them and pointed to the nearest village. "I'll like to actually sleep in a bed instead of camping out on the hard ground. And we'll have to go to a village for food eventually."

"The more people we encounter, the more we risk people discovering that Tetsu is a prince. That alone is a target on his back without considering that people are opposed to our alliance." Misono pointed out and Kuro groaned.

"It won't be too bad, Kuro, so don't complain." Mahiru told him but Kuro didn't respond and went back to sleeping. Misono didn't know what could make Tetsu think that he was dependable. Mahiru sighed and gave Misono an reassuring smile. "I know that Kuro can be frustrating at times but there's no one I trust more with my life. Kuro was right to bring up that we can't survive on only the food we bought."

"I already accounted for that. That's the reason why I wanted to make the path as close to the river as possible. We should be able to fish for meat and find wild berries for nutrients. But don't eat things haphazardly and show them to me so I can make sure they're not poisonous. I read a book about berries grown here."

"Do you like to read?" Misono realized that Tetsu had asked the question. He had approached them so quietly that he hadn't heard him. "You must be really smart. What kind of books do you like?"

"I like non-fiction but I'll read anything given to me. The Kingdom of Wonderland has the largest library in the world. If you like to read too, I can show you some good books." Misono offered and Tetsu smiled slightly. He didn't think that Tetsu would like to read but at least they would have one thing in common.

"I came to ask if you wanted to go fishing with me? Hugh always says that fishing together will help friends become closer." Tetsu told him. "But if you want to finish with Mahiru—"

"I'll go!" Misono scrambled to his feet. Fishing with Tetsu and being able to talk to him privately, he could learn more about him. "Lily get me the books and fishing rod I bought!"

* * *

"This is not fishing. This is not what my books taught me. Put your shirt back on, you pervert!" Misono screamed and covered his eyes. He heard a splash and looked back to see Tetsu jump into the river. Curious, he walked to the riverbank and called out to him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm fishing," Tetsu told him simply and watched the river. He raised his sword and began to stab the water. Misono decided to ignore him and cast his line into the river. Hopefully, Tetsu wouldn't scare any of the fishes away. He had wanted to learn more about Tetsu but he doubted they could talk when Tetsu was occupied with playing in the water.

"Aren't you coming in?"

"I would rather not catch a cold by… what are you doing? You're going to scare away all the fish! Just stay over there and don't scare any fish on my side of the river." Misono instructed him but Tetsu waded his way through the water to him. It was impossible for Misono not to notice how strong he looked and turned away to hide his blush.

"What is that stick?" Tetsu asked as he leaned on the riverbank and looked up at Misono.

"It's a fishing rod. We use it to catch fish so I don't know what you were doing with your sword. Swinging it around haphazardly like that is dangerous and disrespectful to your sword." Misono felt a bite and quickly reeled in the fish. Tetsu's eyes didn't give others any hint of his emotions but he watched Misono with curiosity. "Have you never used a fishing rod before?"

"Never." Tetsu pulled himself out of the water and sat next to him. He sat so close to him that Misono could feel their arms brushing but Tetsu didn't seem to mind. "Can you teach me?"

"Honestly, this is only my second time fishing. My father wouldn't let me go out much but I really wanted to try fishing. One day, my brother and I snuck out to go to the river. He taught me how to fish a little and it was fun. The only thing we caught was this tiny bluegill and it didn't even taste that good." Misono retold the story with a soft smile. "Father was mad at us when we got back."

The smile Misono had told him far more than his story. It was small but it softened his face and Tetsu found it fascinating. "I want to learn how to fish too. It looks like you're having fun. I only know spear fishing."

Tetsu lifted his sword and showed Misono the fish he caught. He carefully placed the fish he caught into the basket they bought. Misono had to wonder why Tetsu wanted to learn how to fish when he caught more fish with his sword. While Misono only caught two fish, Tetsu easily caught five. "You seem to be getting by well enough so why do you want me to teach you?"

"Because you make it look fun." Tetsu leaned closer to him and his eyes pleaded with him.

"Fine," Misono gave in and began to explain the basics to him. He didn't want to immediately hand Tetsu the rod because it could break easily. "You need a lot of patients and wait for the fish to take the bait. Once you feel a nibble, you need to reel the rod back to hook it. It can take a while so don't complain if you get bored or something."

"But you're here with me. How can I get bored?" Tetsu asked him in an even voice and Misono wondered if he ever expressed his emotions with his voice. It was so calm that Misono didn't know if Tetsu meant anything by the words. The few close people he had, like Mikuni and Lily, all had exaggerated personalities so he didn't know how to react to Tetsu.

"You asked me about books earlier. Do you like to read too?" Misono asked him, hoping to change the topic. His attempt was obvious and the transition awkward but Tetsu didn't seem to comment.

"I don't read but my mother used to read me fairy tales when I was little. I really liked them. If I wasn't a prince, I would like to be a knight like you. They can do whatever they want but they're honourable and choose to protect people." The description made Misono feel a little guilty because he wasn't a knight and only pretending to be one.

"It's a knight's honour to protect those he loves." Misono remembered all the fairy tales Lily would read to him. "You don't need to be a knight to do that. You're already doing that as a prince. The role of prince isn't as easy as a fairy tale but the heart's still there."

"Can I ask you something as a friend and not a prince?" Tetsu asked him and his eyes were both earnest and hesitant. "Is it selfish to want a fairy tale? My mother wasn't royalty but my parents fell in love like a fairy tale. They were happy. I wanted to have something like that when I get married."

Misono didn't know how to answer him. He had the same worry as Tetsu but knew that their marriage was to protect their people. He wondered how Tetsu would react when he learned that he was his fiancé all along. Would he be happy or angry?

"Misono, I think a fish is eating your bait." Tetsu voice brought him out of his thoughts and Misono instinctively pull back the rod. The fish was surprisingly strong and threatened to pull him into the river. As he tried to reel, he found his footing on the bank slipping.

Suddenly, Tetsu hands closed around his and held him securely. Without any effort, Tetsu helped Misono reel in the fish. They were both surprised when they pulled the fish out of the water. It was a small catfish. They were silent for a moment before Tetsu began to laugh.

"Stop laughing! You felt how strong that fish was." Misono said as Tetsu tried to stifle his laughter.

"I'm sorry. We should get back to everyone before they get worried about us." Tetsu said with an apologetic smile. He stood back from him and Misono realized how closely they were standing to each other. He wondered what Tetsu was thinking as he placed their feeble fish into the basket. "Next time, can we fish together again?"

"Okay."

* * *

 _Pro: He's fun to fish with_. Misono wrote down the note as discretely as possible. They were sitting around the fire, waiting for Mahiru to finish cooking the fish. It smelled wonderful but Misono found his focus on Tetsu who was speaking with Hugh. They seemed to be close friends and Misono wondered if they would become that close one day.

"It seems like you two are getting along more if you finally found a pro." Lily whispered as he sat next to Misono. "I'm glad. Maybe you'll actually fall in love with him."

"Fall in love?" Misono said a little too loudly and he quickly covered his mouth. Everyone turned to him and he blushed from embarrassment. Lily only smiled innocently at him despite Misono's scowl. "We're only friends, Lily. Stop saying strange things."

"You'll never know what might happen. But whatever does happen, I'll support you."

* * *

 **I was going to keep this on haitus for a while but I'm in a Tetsono mood so I decided to write the next chapter of this.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Servamp or any of the characters**

* * *

"You've never been in this forest before. Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Tetsu asked Misono. He only shook his head in reply.

"We're only going to collect some berries so we won't be too far from camp. Even if we do come across something, I'll have Lily with me. Just focus on protecting yourself. I'm a knight so you don't need to worry about me." Misono told him as he placed a book into his bag. "We should be back soon. But if we aren't back in an hour and you think something happened to us, you—"

"I should look for you?" Tetsu finished for him and Misono sighed.

"You are to go to Wonderland." Misono corrected. "I gave Mahiru a map to the palace and a letter with the Alicein seal so he should be able to take you there. Right now, your life is what's important so don't worry about me. My duty is to protect you and yours is to protect your kingdom."

Misono knew that his role in their engagement was important as well but had to pretend to be a simple knight. If Tetsu discovered the truth now, he would most likely never trust him again and possibly break their engagement. The latter was more important so Misono didn't know why possibly losing Tetsu's trust worried him slightly more.

"Lily and I should be going before we waste more time debating this. Your prince is waiting for you and he'll get worried if you're late. We each have our role to play so focus on that." Misono reminded him and gestured to Lily who was waiting for him. "We'll be back soon, Tetsu."

"Bye," Tetsu waved as he watched Misono leave with Lily. He only turned away when someone called his name. Hugh stood in front of the wagon and instructed him to climb into the wagon. Tetsu wondered what Hugh wanted to talk to him about because he looked so serious. When he climbed inside, he saw his friends inside as well.

"I wanted to discuss the knights Wonderland has sent." Hugh started once Tetsu sat down. "There's something about them that I find strange. I knew Lily when I was younger, and I would consider him my brother, but it feels like he's hiding something from me. And that knight, Misono, isn't like any knight I know which troubles me."

"Are you saying that they're lying to us? But they had an official letter from Wonderland and my instinct tells me that they're good people." Tetsu argued. He looked back to where Misono left and he couldn't help but wonder if there was a reason that Misono insisted on going with only Lily. "Misono hadn't done anything for me to not trust him."

"I don't think they're bad either but there are some things about them that concerns me." Mahiru interjected. He knew that Tetsu was a simple minded and honest person so he rarely distrusted people until they gave him a reason to. Tetsu considered Misono a friend so Mahiru hoped that he wouldn't be hurt. "He's very well read for a simple knight."

"He said he like to read." Tetsu defended. "He said that it was his duty to protect me and he doesn't have a reason to betray us. A knight's honour would stop him."

Tetsu wasn't one for politics but even he understood how important the engagement was. The White Water Kingdom had a powerful military but it was still a young and small country. The Kingdom of Wonderland was a very advanced country but had many enemies and couldn't afford to send many people to war.

"You see everything through rose coloured glasses, don't you?" Hyde laughed to himself slightly but stopped when Hugh lightly hit him. "Everyone has a price and people who wants to see your engagement fail will use that. A lot of other kingdoms would've liked to marry into the Alicein family. Honour is something in fairy tales and not every knight follow a strict code."

"If knights were required to be honourable, this demon would never be given his knighthood." Licht pointed at Hyde who feigned hurt at his words but there was still a light in his eyes. Despite Licht's scowl, Hyde could only smile back at him. "Why are we debating this? If they do betray us, it will be a simple task to defeat them."

"What do you think Kuro?" Mahiru asked Kuro because he had been silent throughout the entire discussion. Kuro didn't reply and yawned instead. He laid down and rested his head on Mahiru's lap. "Hey, Kuro! This is important so don't just go to sleep."

"There's really nothing to discuss. If Misono really plan to do anything to Tetsu, he would've done it while they were fishing." Kuro closed his eyes but kept a hand on the hilt of his sword. While he appeared to be lazy and unmotivated, there were things he wanted to protect. The warm hand running through his hair was only one of them.

"Kuro brings up a good point—" Hugh began to argue again but stopped when Tetsu stood. He climbed out of the wagon without a word. "Where are you going, Tetsu?"

"I'm going to ask Misono about this." Tetsu told them and walked into the forest before they could stop him. He didn't want to believe that Misono would lie to him. Misono eyes seemed honest and kind when he agreed to be his friend. A part of him knew that asking him about his intentions would be pointless because he could easily lie but still he wanted to ask him.

* * *

"Lily?" Misono looked up from his book when he heard someone approach him. Lily had left only a few moments earlier to look for another fruit bush so he shouldn't be returning so soon. The footsteps were too heavy to be Lily's as well so Misono cautiously set aside his bag. Discretely, he pulled a dagger from his boot and waited until the footsteps stop behind him.

Without a sound, Misono quickly turned and aimed his dagger at the man's neck. His eyes met Tetsu's and stopped his dagger just a hairbreadth from Tetsu's neck. Tetsu stared back at him in shock and worry for a moment before stepping away. Misono stopped him by placing his hands on his shoulder and forced him to lean down towards him.

"Wait, did I cut you?" Misono asked as he worriedly examined his neck for any blood. He had to stand on his toes and steadied himself by placing his hand on Tetsu's shoulder. He gently touched his neck and could feel Tetsu's pulse beneath his fingertips. It was racing slightly but slowed gradually. After he was certain that Tetsu wasn't hurt, Misono let out the breath he was holding and stepped away.

"What were you thinking sneaking up on me? I thought you were an enemy and almost killed you!" Misono screamed and punched his arm. He continued to scold his recklessness and fumed, "You could've at least called my name so I know that it was you. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Tetsu answered and Misono rubbed his temple as he felt his frustration growing.

"Please tell me that it was important and you couldn't just wait for me to return to camp." Misono demanded and Tetsu's expression told him that it wasn't. But he looked a little conflicted and guilty that Misono couldn't bring himself to stay angry. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's my job to protect you and I almost killed you. Now that you're here, you can tell me what you wanted and help me pick these berries."

Misono turned away from him and picked up the book he was reading and compared the picture of the fruit to the ones growing in front of him. Beside him, Tetsu asked. "What are you doing?"

"I'm checking to see if these are edible. The colour and shape is the same as the book. It seems safe but we should eat them in small portions just to be safe. That way, even if they're poisonous, the effect won't be too bad." Misono began to pick the berries and placed them in a small bag.

Tetsu helped Misono pick the berries and occasionally glanced at him. He was focused on his book and didn't seem to notice him stare. He wanted to speak to Misono but now that they were next to each other, Tetsu didn't know what to say. Misono looked genuinely apologetic for almost hurting him so that must mean that he wasn't deceiving him.

"What made you want to be a knight?" Tetsu asked and Misono's hesitated stilled for a moment.

Of all the questions Tetsu could've asked him, Misono wasn't prepared for that question. He couldn't answer honestly and tell him that he wanted to meet him without the pretense of their titles. But Misono found it difficult to lie when Tetsu was staring at him with such honest eyes. He looked down at his book and tried to avoid his eyes.

"I guess it was because I wanted to change," was the best answer Misono could give without lying. "I already told you that my father wouldn't let me out much. That was because I used to be very weak and I got sick often. People would act differently around me because of who I was. I wanted people to see me for who I am and not what I was or my title."

"Misono," Tetsu whispered his name and he turned to face him. He was surprised when Tetsu held a berry to his mouth. He couldn't stop Tetsu before he slipped the berry into his mouth. "You looked a little sad. Eating something sweet makes me feel better. I'm sorry if you didn't want to tell me that."

"You could've warned me before you did that. But, thank you." Misono slowly chewed on the berry and had to admit that it was pleasantly sweet. Tetsu smiled and had to admit that he felt a little relieved at Misono's answer. He said he wanted people to see he truly was so he wouldn't deceive others. "And it's okay to ask questions. We're friends so just ask me if you want to know anything about me."

"Do you need any more help picking berries?" Tetsu asked and Misono looked into his bag.

"I think that's enough for now but I wish we could've collected more than wild berries. We should find Lily and tell him that we're heading back to camp. He's picking berries over there." Misono stood and stretched.

"Wait, you said you wanted more fruit." Tetsu didn't stand and was picking at the ground. Misono wondered what he was doing. He held up a seed for Misono to see but he was still confused. "It's an apple seed. An animal must've dropped it while storing seeds. So, there's an apple tree if you want to find look for it. I don't think it'll be too hard to find it."

"Alright." Misono nodded and followed Tetsu when he began to walk away. He thought that Tetsu was absentminded and a little dull but it seemed that he was more intelligent than he first gave him credit for. "I didn't think to look for seeds."

"My mother taught me. We walked through the forest a lot so I know little tricks like that. But you must know a lot more than I do because you read so much." Tetsu explained as he scanned the treetops. Misono looked up at him and was surprised that Tetsu was so humble. Their strength and knowledge were very different but neither were bad or better than the other.

"There's one." Tetsu pointed to an apple hanging above them and Misono looked up. He groaned to himself slightly when he saw how high the apple was. One of the reason he brought a book of berries was because berries were easy to reach. He considered going back to ask Lily for help but he knew that it would take too long and the others were expecting them to return soon.

"I don't think we should try climbing since we could fall and get hurt." Misono ordered and took out his throwing knife. "Stand back, Tetsu. I'll try to cut the apple stem but it might be a little difficult because of the angle. If I was a little closer, this would be easier."

"Get on my shoulders. You should be able to reach with my help." Tetsu knelt in front of him and looked over his shoulder to Misono. He could see that Misono was hesitant. Hugh and small children loved when he gave them rides. "Don't worry, I won't drop you. Give me your hands."

"Are you sure?" Misono placed his hand in Tetsu's. He climbed onto his shoulders and Tetsu held his hand securely as he stood. He stood so smoothly that Misono wondered how strong he was. Usually, he would feel jealous but knowing that Tetsu was holding him was comforting.

"Can you get it now?" Tetsu tilted his head to look up at him and their eyes met for a moment.

"Yeah, this is better." Misono turned his attention back to the apple quickly. He sat straighter and concentrated on the apple. When he threw the knife, it cut cleanly through the apple stem. Tetsu quickly stood beneath the apple so he could catch it. Tetsu grinned up at him before he placed the apple in their bag. Misono took out another throwing knife and instructed. "There are other apples so hold still."

Tetsu nodded and they continued to collect apples together. Soon, they were able to fill the bag and Tetsu knelt so that Misono could climb off his shoulder. But he continued to hold Misono hand so he wouldn't fall. "Thanks, Tetsu. I must've been heavy."

"You didn't weigh that much." Tetsu said and Misono brow twitched for a moment. He knew that Tetsu didn't mean to offend him but Misono couldn't help but frown at the words.

"Lets just go home after I collect my knives." Misono turned away from him. He picked up his throwing knives that had fallen to the ground. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Tetsu was picking them up as well. He hadn't asked him to help but he did so anyways and Misono made a mental note to himself.

 _Pro: He's really helpful._

* * *

 **I'm in a tetsono mood so here's the next chapter. I just live for Tetso giving Misono piggy back rides.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Servamp or any of the characters**

* * *

"How does this horse move again?" Tetsu studied the chess pieces that Misono took out. They finished setting up camp and Misono decided to play chess with Lily to pass the night. It was Kuro's turn for night watch but he was sitting against a tree with his eyes closed so Misono took it upon himself to take over his shift. When he told Tetsu his plan, he offered to stay up with him.

"That pawn is a knight, not a horse. Shouldn't you go to sleep? Lily and I will be okay by ourselves." Misono tried to persuade Tetsu to leave. He was planning to talk to Lily privately but it was clear he wouldn't be able to when Tetsu shook his head. Misono couldn't help but worry that Tetsu suspected him of something from the way he wouldn't leave his side.

"I'm not tired. Anyways, I don't think it's fair to make you stay awake by yourself. We're friends." The two words made Misono happier than he thought it would. He never had a very lose friends outside of his family and Lily so he didn't know if Tetsu was right.

"You can do whatever you want but don't complain to me when you are tired tomorrow." Misono blushed and turned away from him. He could feel Tetsu's eyes on him as he looked at the chess board curiously. Tetsu didn't seem like a person who would be interested in chess so said, "This is a two person game and I don't think you'll have fun watching us play."

"I like watching people play. Hugh tried to teach me how to play chess once but I'm not really good at it." Tetsu said and watched Misono and Lily play. He was very aware of his weaknesses so he always admired people like Misono. "He said that the best way to win is to know your opponent. Hugh was always able to predict my moves and I could never win."

"Don't feel so bad about not being able to play chess well. I've never won once against Misono and we've known each other since he was born. I remember when he was small, he was the sweetest boy and would pick flowers for the servants every day to thank them for their hard work. The gardener had a heart attack when he saw what Misono did to his garden."

"Lily, we're playing chess so this isn't story time." Misono quickly cut him off. Lily had no shortage of embarrassing stories to tell and Misono didn't want Tetsu to hear any of them. He turned to Tetsu to see his reaction but he didn't laugh or look condescending.

"I hope Wonderland's prince is as kind as you and treat his people well." Tetsu whispered to himself. He didn't intend for Misono or Lily to hear it but they did. To Tetsu, there was nothing he could do about his marriage and didn't think asking about the prince.

"I might be bias when I say this but I think the prince is wonderful and kind. I'm certain that once we reach Wonderland and see who he is, you'll agree with me." Lily said confidently and Misono rolled his eyes at his words. His tones were teasing and his words were towards Misono just as much as they were for Tetsu. "In fact, by the time we arrive you'll be so in love that—"

"Focus on the game, Idiot." Misono defeated Lily's bishop. He gently threw the captured pawn at Lily to warn him not to say anything further. Lily only chuckled and Misono wondered what he was planning. "What's the point in playing chess if you're not going to give me a challenge?"

"I was just making conversation with Tetsu. Have you ever been in love before Tetsu?" Even though the question was directed to Tetsu, Misono dropped his pawn and it clattered across the board. Tetsu didn't seem flustered by the question as he merely picked up the pawn and handed it to Misono.

"I have." Tetsu nodded and Misono's hands stilled for a moment. He didn't know why his stomach felt uneasy for a moment until Tetsu went on. "I love my parents and all my friends. I also love my kingdom and my subjects."

"I was asking about romantic love." Lily chuckled and Tetsu tilted his head in confusion. Honestly, he had never been in love before and it never crossed his mind. "Well, I wanted to give you advice for a happy marriage. Our prince means well but sometimes he makes mistakes so be patient with him."

"Okay, that's enough Lily. Concentrate on the game," Misono tried to stop the conversation desperately. He loved Lily like a brother but there were times he frustrated him to no ends.

"I'm a little tired so I'm going to sleep for the night. How about you play with Tetsu? Since you've never played with him before, you won't be able to predict his moves and he'll be more of a challenge than me." Lily stood and Misono was glad that he no longer had to worry about his meddling. "Have fun you two!"

"Just go already!" Misono screamed in frustration as he rearranged the board. Tetsu sat across him and Misono suddenly felt nervous since he could feel him staring at him. "You can move first. Do you want me to go over how the pieces move again?"

* * *

"Tetsu has really taken a liking to Misono, haven't he?" Mahiru commented to Kuro as he watched the pair from a distance. Misono and Tetsu were still playing chess despite the late hour. Kuro didn't respond and appeared to be sleeping against a tree but Mahiru knew that he was awake. Despite appearances, he could tell that Kuro was fully alert and keeping watch.

A part of Mahiru wanted to tell Misono that he didn't need to stay up because Kuro was awake and only appeared to be sleeping. But he was glad he didn't since it seemed like Tetsu and Misono were becoming closer. Tetsu never told him directly, but Mahiru knew that he had some reservations about going to Wonderland. Hopefully, with a friend like Misono, he could adjust to his new life easier.

"Kuro, do you think—" Mahiru's sentence was cut off by his own yawn. He had to admit that he was tired because he was a simple advisor and didn't have much experience travelling. He wanted to stay up with Kuro a little longer but he found it hard to fight his need to sleep. Without any hesitation, Mahiru leaned against Kuro and closed his eyes.

"Don't complain. You're always using me as a pillow so let me borrow your shoulder this once." Mahiru said when he felt Kuro shift slightly. They have known each other long enough for Mahiru to be able to predict his words and make a counter argument. He could feel Kuro eyes on him and smiled to himself when he guessed Kuro's next words correctly.

"What a pain. My arm's going to fall asleep." Even though Kuro sounded exasperated, he didn't push Mahiru away. Instead, he pulled Mahiru's cloak more securely over his shoulder to keep him from catching a cold. Mahiru's breathing was even and Kuro knew that he was already asleep. Kuro pulled his focus away from Mahiru and scanned the camp.

Aside from Tetsu and Misono's chatter and the sound of the fire cracking, it didn't seem like anything was out of place. But Kuro felt as if someone was watching them in his gut and he tightened his hand over Mahiru's. He sensed that someone had been following them for a while now but he didn't tell anyone because it was nothing but a gut feeling.

That feeling became an alarm whenever it became dark. But the person didn't leave any hint of where he was hiding which irked Kuro. If the person could hide himself so thoroughly, he was dangerous. Kuro pretended to be asleep but strained his ears and looked around the edge of the camp under hooded eyes.

Something glinted in the bushes and Kuro reacted quickly. He threw his dagger into the bush and his sudden movement woke Mahiru. Kuro roughly pushed Mahiru towards the wagon. "Hide underneath the wagon and don't come out until I say it's safe."

Kuro didn't look back to see if he followed his instruction. Mahiru was still confused and could only stare after Kuro as he ran into the bushes. Misono was equally shocked and didn't know what prompt Kuro into actions. Tetsu, on the other hand, appeared calm and followed Kuro into the forest.

"Hey, don't just run off, Tetsu!?" Misono chased after the pair. He never expected Kuro to be so fast and Misono struggled to follow them. Tetsu looked over his shoulder and saw Misono falling behind and slowed his steps. He kept Kuro in the corner of his eyes as he held out his hand to Misono. "Where is Kuro going?"

"I don't know but he only gets serious like this when there's danger." Tetsu told him. Misono was out of breath when he caught up to them and he took Tetsu's hand to keep himself from falling. Without any warning, Tetsu began to run again and pulled Misono behind him. He held onto his hand securely so Misono wouldn't fall behind again.

"Wait, if there is danger, you should go back to the camp where it's safe!" Misono argued but Tetsu shook his head. When he turned back to Misono, he could see a determined glint in his blue eyes.

"If there is danger, I can't go back and hide. I'm a prince and I'm not going to let my people get hurt. Kuro's my friend so I'm going to help him." Tetsu's hand tightened around Misono's slightly, as if he wanted to communicate his feelings with more than words. Misono understood how he felt all too well and ran quicker to match Tetsu's pace.

When they reached Kuro, he was fighting with a masked assassin. Kuro expertly dodged the man's whip and he aimed his claws at his neck. But the man evaded him and Tetsu's brows furrowed. It was rare for anyone to be so skilled that they could challenge Kuro. He drew his sword and searched for an opening to help Kuro. Misono took out his throwing knives as well and studied the man.

There was something familiar about the assassin's movements. But Misono wasn't given much time to place where he knew him before the assassin turned away from Kuro to attack Tetsu. Misono stepped in front of him and raised his throwing knives. The moment the assassin saw Misono, he faltered. Before Misono could take advantage of his hesitation, he ran away.

"Don't brother chasing him." Kuro stopped Misono before he could run after the assassin. He sheathed his sword and his shoulder relaxed so it was obvious that he had no intention of fighting further. His demeanour was once again of lazy knight. "He's probably gone by now. Going after him will be too much trouble. You'll have another chance to fight him probably. He's been following us this entire time."

"Guard duty should be done in pairs from now on. If he is following us, we should be cautious. We can assume that he wants to kill Tetsu to interfere with the alliance."

* * *

 _Con: He has bad judgement about people_. Misono scratched out the con he wrote the first day they met. Whenever Tetsu told him that Kuro was a skilled knight, Misono didn't believe him and questioned his judgement. But, after seeing Kuro fight, Misono had to admit that Tetsu was right. _Pro: He has good judgement about people even if they appear to be unreliable._

"Misono?" He looked up and quickly closed his notebook when he saw that it was Tetsu. It was still night so he doubted that Tetsu could read what he was writing but Misono still tucked the book into his bag. Tetsu sat next to him and looked down at his hands. "I just wanted to thank you for trying to protect me."

"Is that all?" Misono didn't understand why Tetsu seemed so nervous to tell him something so small. With the dim lighting of the fire, Misono couldn't tell if Tetsu was blushing or if his face was red because of the fire's glow. "I really didn't do much since he ran away before we could actually fight. Anyways, I'm your knight so it's my duty to protect you."

"Oh," Tetsu seemed a little disappointed with Misono's answer. He could see Tetsu frown slightly and his expression tugged at Misono. For a reason he couldn't name, Misono didn't want to see him unhappy.

"Don't make a big deal out of it. We're friends so of course I'm going to protect you. You'll do the same thing if our positions were reversed, wouldn't you?" Misono pointed out. At his words, Tetsu smiled and nodded. It was small but Misono felt his heart quicken a little in reaction. "If you want to thank me though, you want to take the next watch shift with me?"

"I would like that." Tetsu agreed without any hesitation.

* * *

 **I was able to finish this for Tetsu's birthday. I had an actual bday fanfic planned for him and wrote half of it but I wasn't able to complete it due to writer's block.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Servamp or any of the characters**

* * *

"Good morning, Misono!" Lily said cheerfully when he saw Misono waking up. He rubbed his eyes and looked around him to see that he was in the wagon. From the rocking of the wagon, he also knew that it was moving. He was certain that he had fallen asleep outside. Lily noticed the confusion on his face and he quickly explained. "We were getting ready when Tetsu said we should let you sleep a little more since you looked very tired. He even carried you in and gave you his cloak to use. Isn't he the sweetest fia—"

"Lily!" He quickly covered his mouth to stop him. He was glad that the only other person in the wagon was Kuro who was sleeping. Lily continued to grin at him and Misono tried to hide his blush with the cloak. Unfortunately, it only made him blush more when he realized that it was Tetsu's cloak. It smelled like him and Misono found his heart racing. "Think before you talk."

"I'm sorry but I was just so happy for you. I was a little worried about the… arrangement but it seems like everything is working out for the best. It's nice to see you opening up to people outside of the castle." Lily had watched Misono grow up and knew that he could have trouble developing friendships because of his title. "But you did look very tired this morning. Did something happen?"

"It's fine. I just didn't sleep well. How's Tetsu? He stayed up late last night too." Misono couldn't sleep last night because he was worried about the assassin. Even after his night shift ended, Misono couldn't sleep and he was thinking about how familiar the assassin was. Tetsu must've noticed because he stayed up to talk to him until they fell asleep. "I'm sure the others already told you about the assassin."

The man seemed familiar to him but he wasn't one of Wonderland's assassins. Misono wondered if he was employed to one of their allies and that was why he recognized him vaguely. No matter who he was, he was after Tetsu and Misono's hands tightened on his cloak. He didn't know why but thinking of Tetsu being hurt affected him personally far more than politically.

"I need to go outside. It's my duty to protect him so I shouldn't be sitting in here." Misono pushed himself to his feet and parted the curtain to speak to Hugh who was driving the wagon. "Can you stop this thing for a minute for me to get off?"

Hugh was silent for a moment before he shook his head. "Sit down, boy, I want to talk to you first. Alone."

Lily knew that word was pointed at him and he moved to the back of the wagon. While Hugh appeared to be stern, he knew that he wasn't going to hurt Misono. They knew each other when they were younger so he trusted him.

"Listen here, my boy, I want to know who you really are." Hugh started in a low voice so only Misono could hear him. "You seem like a good kid but you're not a knight. I don't know who you are or why you're lying to us but Tetsu has taken a liking to you. I didn't want him to overhear us because of that. I'm giving you a warning: Do anything to him and you will live to regret it. Everyone in this kingdom loves him and it's not merely because he's our prince."

"I'm not planning to hurt him." Misono reassured him. Hugh had the eyes of a father when he spoke of Tetsu and Misono recognize the need to protect in them. "I don't want to hurt him. He's a good man and I can understand why so many people love him. He has this atmosphere around him that makes you feel comfortable and you forget he's a prince."

"He does. That is one of the many reasons he is a great prince. My boy is also strong!" Hugh's eyes shined with pride as he went on about Tetsu. Misono could only nod awkwardly because he knew he wouldn't be able to interrupt him. "I like that you recognize how wonderful my boy is but my warning still stands. Don't do anything to hurt him."

"I don't intend to." Misono told him but it didn't sound entirely convincing, even to him. He didn't want to hurt him but he knew that he might unintentionally do so because of his façade. He wanted to know Tetsu better with his title looming over them but his plan was short sighted. Now that he knew Tetsu better, he knew that he wouldn't have treated him any differently even if he knew the title.

But if he found out the truth now, he would most likely be angry that he lied to him. Misono glanced at Tetsu's back. He had seen many sides of Tetsu throughout their journey but he had never seen him angry or sad and he didn't want to see him like that. He wasn't worried about Tetsu breaking their engagement but that he would hate him.

"I need to go untie my horse so can you stop the wagon now?" Misono asked and Hugh nodded. Tetsu noticed them and quickly dismounted.

"Are you still feeling tired, Misono?" Tetsu asked him and he shook his head. He held out his hand to him to help him down the wagon and Misono placed his hand in his without any hesitation. Misono was too lost in thought that he didn't realize he took his hand until Tetsu squeezed his lightly. With a blush, he jumped slightly and placed his hand behind his back.

"I can get down on my own. You should've woken me up sooner even if I seemed tired. I can't protect you when I'm inside the wagon and you're out here." Misono chastised him lightly and he turned away from him. He saw Tetsu's expression when he turned and felt guilty slightly. He was flustered but that was no reason to take it out on him. "Thank you for thinking of me though."

Tetsu watched him walk away but he didn't know if he should follow him when his shoulders looked so stiff. Misono already said they could be friends but Tetsu found himself wanting more. What that was, he didn't know. He wasn't like anyone he knew and that intrigued him. He would often find himself watching him like he was doing now.

Hyde looked from Misono to Tetsu and chuckled to himself. He could sense the atmosphere between them and shook his head. He suspected that Tetsu didn't even know how he appeared to others. His blue eyes were so focused on the smaller man that Hyde doubted he saw anything else at the moment.

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Hyde tapped Tetsu's shoulder. When Tetsu looked down at him, he said. "If you really want him to like you, I can give you some advice. Don't you want to be closer to him?"

"Become closer friends? How can I do that?" Tetsu leaned down closer for Hyde to whisper his advice to him. "Are you sure Misono would like that?"

"What are you telling my boy?" Hyde bit his tongue when Hugh hit him with his cane. "Don't listen to this knight, Tetsu. If you really want advice, I'll tell you how to get closer to him!"

"Hey, I'm an expert in love. Not even this angel can resist me. Don't you love me, Lichtan?" Hyde placed his arm around Licht's shoulder. While he glared at him, he didn't deny Hyde's words either. He kicked his leg to force Hyde to let go of him and stalked away. "Wait, I'm sorry, Lichtan! You know you love me so don't run away from me!"

"They're very colourful characters." Lily laughed softly as he watched them. He looked back to where Misono was untying his horse and knew that he would be back short so he gestured to Tetsu. "I've known Misono the longest so I'm the best person to give you some quick advice, Tetsu."

* * *

Tetsu looked down at the flowers in his hands and took a deep breath. He wanted to become closers friends with Misono but he didn't know if he was being too forward with flowers. Hyde, Hugh and Lily gave him advice and he trusted them but he found himself nervous. He walked to where Misono was making a pile of firewood and called him name.

"Do you need something, Tet—" Misono couldn't finish his sentence when Tetsu pushed an armful of flowers towards him. There were so many flowers that Misono could barely hold all of them. At first, Misono didn't know how to react and could only gawk at him. When he did regain his composure, he screamed. "I told you to get wood, not flowers! What are we supposed to do with these?"

"Um… they're pretty." Tetsu wasn't expecting his reaction and tried to think of something to say. Hugh told him that people like receiving gifts but Misono looked frustrated. He tried to remember Hyde's advice and quoted. " _Hear my soul speak. The very instant that I saw you did my heart fly to your service, there resides to make me slave to it, and for your sake am I this patient log-man_."

"If that was true, you would've gotten me firewood like I asked you to. And what is this about me making your heart my slave? Do you even know what that quotes means? You're a prince so it's best if you don't go around saying things like that to a knight." Misono was shocked when Tetsu quoted Shakespeare but it quickly became apparent to him that he didn't fully understand the quote.

Worriedly, Misono stood on his toes and gently touched his forehead. "Are you feeling sick? You stayed up late last night so you're probably very tired but it shouldn't be making you act this strange. You should get some rest and I'll collect wood with Lily. First, I need to think of what to do with all these flowers."

Misono's brows furrowed when he looked down at the flowers. There were so many different flowers and he could only guess how long Tetsu had been looking for them. They were beautiful and it would be a shame to throw them away but he couldn't keep them all in his bag either. He thought for a moment before he handed the flowers back to Tetsu. "Hold these for a minute. I'll be right back."

Tetsu watched Misono leave, wondering what he was planning. He came back with his bag full of books and gestured for Tetsu to place the flowers on the ground. Misono sat on the ground and took out one of his textbooks. "When I was younger, my brother taught me how to press flowers. I couldn't go out much so whenever he took me out, I would pick a flower as a souvenir."

Tetsu watched Misono place a flower between the pages carefully. "Can I help you."

"Sure. It's not too hard to press flowers. Take parchment paper and line the pages of the book. Next, place a flower between the pages and close the book. Then, all we leave it for a week so I won't be able to read these." Misono instructed him and handed him a textbook. "Why did you even pick these many flowers?"

"Hugh said people liked gifts. You were angry this morning so I wanted to do something for you." Tetsu told him honestly like Lily told him to be. "Hyde said that I should find flowers as lovely as you so I could use this quote. But none of the flowers I found were as beautiful as you so I just picked them all. You don't need to keep all of them if you don't want to. I just wanted to become closer friends."

"Who's going to throw away a gift from a friend?" Misono took one of the flowers and smiled to himself. He was glad that Tetsu seemed to be himself again. Tetsu's eyes seemed to see through him and he looked down at the flower in his hand. He realized that it was the same colour as his eyes and he gently ran his hand over the petals. "If you wanted to be closer, just tell me."

"We're friends already but could we be closer? Like best friends?" Tetsu asked and Misono nodded. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Tetsu smile and reached for another textbook in his bag. But, instead of a textbook, he pulled out the notebook he had been keeping of Tetsu. Panicking, Misono rushed forward and tried to take it back before he could open it.

"Don't read that!" Misono tripped over a textbook and fell ungracefully against Tetsu's chest. The notebook fell out of his hands and he hastily picked it up. "This is private so don't open it."

"I'm sorry," Tetsu apologized and Misono sighed.

"It's okay. You didn't know and I shouldn't have reacted like that." Misono told him softly. "Thank you for the flowers. I like them."

 _I like him best when he's being himself._ It wasn't a pro in particular but Misono made a note to himself to write it in his notebook later.

* * *

 _ **Be careful who you take love advice from Tetsu XD**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Servamp or any of the characters**

* * *

Misono clicked his tongue as he examined the broken wagon wheel. It was a clean cut so he knew that the wheel didn't break naturally. Someone had whittled the wheel and weakened it so it broke when it hit a sharp rock. He wanted to say that there was foul play but no one should be able to reach the wagon without any of the party noticing. Without more information, he would only cause panic and distrust.

"Excuse me, Chibi. I need to fix the wheel." Misono's brows drew together at the nickname and instantly knew that Tetsu was behind him. He was the only person that refer to him by such a name. After some time, he had stopped correcting Tetsu. "Is there something wrong? You look troubled."

"It's nothing." Misono lied but from his expression he knew that Tetsu could tell. He moved aside so Tetsu could fix the wheel but didn't leave. The only reason someone would sabotage their journey was to interfere with their arranged marriage so Tetsu could be in danger. He thought of the assassin and wondered if he was the person that whittled the wheel.

"Tetsu, I want you to be more careful from now on." Misono told him. He didn't want to worry him but he still felt the need to warn him. He sat next to Tetsu and watched him fix the wheel. "We don't have the tools to fix the wheel properly and it'll easily break again. We'll have to go into town to get it repaired. When we go into town, promise me you won't leave my side."

"I won't." Tetsu reached over and smoothed out the furrows between Misono's brows. "So, you don't need to look so worried."

"It's my job to worry, as your knight and your friend." Misono blushed and swatted his hand away. He didn't understand how Tetsu could act so casual with him. He should've been trained to be a prince but he was different from the other royalty he knew. "Where did you learn how to fix a wagon? You said your mother was a commoner but I don't think she would be able to teach you things like this."

"She took me into the town a lot and the villagers let me watch them work. When I was old enough, they taught me things like this." Tetsu explained and there was a warm nostalgia in his eyes. It was clear that he loved his mother and Misono couldn't help but feel a little jealous because he never knew his mother. "You must think I'm a strange prince."

"You are strange… but not in a bad way." Misono didn't think he said anything special but his answer made Tetsu smile. He watched Tetsu as he went back to placing the new piece onto the wheel. He couldn't help but notice how strong and practiced his hands were as he hammered the piece into place. "It must be nice to depend on others. I never learned how to do things like this."

"Do you want me to teach you? I can repay you for teaching me how to press flowers and play chess." Tetsu suggested and Misono considered his offer. They needed to go to the village quickly and learning how to use a hammer would only waste time. Before Misono could shake his head, Tetsu placed the hammer into his hand. "You're smart so I'm sure you'll pick this up quickly. It's easy."

Tetsu wrapped his hand around Misono's smaller one and guided him through the motions. He was leaning so close that Misono couldn't hear Tetsu's explanation over his rapidly beating heart. He didn't know why he reacted the way he did to his nonchalant behaviour. He was lost in thought so when Tetsu let go of his hand, Misono dropped the hammer on his own hand. "Shit!"

"Are you okay?" Tetsu took his hand and was glad that it didn't appear to be broken. Without thinking, he kissed his hand like his mother would do for him. " _Little hand all well again_."

"Don't kiss my hand! Just finish fixing the wagon while I get Lily to treat this." Misono ordered with a blush and stood. Tetsu watched him march away and sighed to himself. It seemed like everything he did only upset Misono and he worried over that fact.

* * *

"Tetsu!" A group of children ran towards them the moment they entered the town. He dismounted and gave them a soft smile. They didn't waste any time trying to climb him like a tree and Tetsu allowed them to do so. Misono was shocked by how casually they spoke to their prince. "Why didn't you write to tell us you're visiting? How long are you staying? Will you play with us?"

"We're just passing by. Our wagon broke suddenly and we need to fix it. What do you want to play?" Misono didn't know how he was able to follow the children's rapid conversation. As he dismounted, he quickly scanned the crowd gathering around them. It would be easy for an assassin to blend into a crowd and attack Tetsu but the man didn't seem to be worried.

"Tetsu, what did we discuss this morning?" Misono tried to gently remind him but couldn't keep his irritation from his voice. "You need to be careful so don't go running off."

"You want to join us then?" Tetsu offered and held out his hand to him.

"I have a better idea!" Hyde suddenly came between them. He took one of the children from Tetsu and set him on the ground. With a gentle push, he urged them towards Licht. "You kids want to hear the angel play a song for you. I'm sure he'll play something for you. Now you two are to have fun in town while I take the wagon to the shop. This is an order."

"You can't just order us around. Tetsu outranks you." Misono pointed out but the children and Hyde already ran off, leaving them alone. "That man really is something."

"Yeah, he's nice to give us a chance to be alone." Tetsu nodded and Misono sighed. Then he took his hand and gently pulled him towards the stall. "I'll show you around town."

* * *

"What do you mean Tetsu and I will be sharing a room?" Misono asked but Lily only smiled innocently. They were staying in an inn for the night because they couldn't leave the town until the wagon was fixed. He thought he would share a room with Lily so he was shocked to be told otherwise. "If there aren't enough rooms, I'll buy out one of the other patrons."

"There are other rooms but I specifically made sure you two were sharing a room." Lily told him.

"I can't share a room with him!" Misono lowered his voice so only Lily would hear him. "We're not married yet and it won't be proper for us to share a room without a guardian. You should know this. What if something goes wrong and he finds out the truth?"

"I know you'll be careful so he won't. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for you two to learn more about each other and get closer. Anyways, with the risk of the assassin returning, he needs to be protected and who better than his fiancé? I'm sure that he won't attack if you're there." Lily said confidently and Misono sighed since his words were logical. "Tetsu already brought your bags up so just head up to your room, number 201. I need to go out for a smoke."

"Don't stay out too long." Misono ordered as Lily skipped away. He looked back to the stairs and he couldn't help but feel nervous. They had slept near each other on their journey but there were always others. He knew that Lily was only trying to help but he wished that he wouldn't meddle.

Misono climbed the stairs to their room. The door was unlocked and he frowned at Tetsu's carelessness. Even though he was nervous, he forced himself to open the door. Tetsu was looking out the window and didn't turn when he entered. He wondered if he didn't hear him and walked beside him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Chibi?" Tetsu jumped a little at his voice and looked down at him. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. I was just thinking about the villagers. I'm going to miss everyone when I leave."

"Those kids really seemed to like you." Misono thought back to how informal they were with Tetsu. He must've visited often to have such a close relationship with his people. Considering that a trip from the castle to the village took a couple days, Tetsu clearly loved his people. "I'm sure you'll be able to visit them again. You're getting married, not becoming a prisoner of war."

"I know but sometimes it feels like it." Tetsu moved away from the window and sat down on the bed. At first, he told himself that the marriage was for his people but recently he was wondering if he could go through with it and leave everything he knew. "Lily and Hugh said that he's a good guy but I never met him before."

"Life isn't like the fairy tales." Misono remembered Tetsu telling him that he wanted a romance like the one his parents had and their arrangement was far from that. If he told him the truth now, he could ease a little of his worry. _Or he could hate you forever._

"I shouldn't be troubling you with this."

"I'm your friend. Look, I'm just a knight but I'll help you. When we arrive at Wonderland and you don't like the prince, I'll find a way to break your engagement without hurting your people. I'm sure there's a way to secure an alliance without a marriage." Misono sat next to him and held out his pinky to him. "Do you trust me?"

"I trust you." Tetsu finally smiled and wrapped his pinky around his. He didn't understand why Misono looked a little sad so he took something out of his pocket. "I'm glad you're my friend so I bought you a present while we were in town. You were looking at it so I thought you'd like it."

Tetsu placed a ring in Misono's hand. At first, Misono didn't know what to say and could only stare down at the ring. He was looking at him expectantly and he knew that Tetsu was expecting him to wear it but he couldn't. It didn't feel right to wear it when Tetsu didn't even know who he was giving it to. "I can't wear this. You're engaged and someone might get the wrong idea about us."

"Even if you don't wear it, will you keep it?" Tetsu asked. Inside, he was chastising himself for not thinking. Of course, Misono couldn't accept a gift like that from him. But he was having so much fun with Misono in town that he forgot about being engaged.

"It's a gift from a friend." Misono took a ribbon from his bag and threaded it through the ring. He placed the makeshift necklace around his neck and tucked the ring in his shirt. "Now, if nothing else is bothering you, we can go to sleep. We need to wake up early tomorrow."

* * *

Lily stood under Misono's window and listened to their conversation. He knew that it was an invasion of their privacy but it was his duty to stay nearby and protect Misono. Their voices began to fade away in the night and he knew that they were probably asleep by now. He was glad that they were becoming closer and hoped that Misono would have a happy marriage.

He heard a noise within the stables next to him and walked inside. Even though he couldn't see anyone inside, Lily asked the shadows. "Don't they make a cute couple?"

"You put them in the same room?" An irritated voice replied but Lily didn't feel the least threatened by it. He casually closed the stable door so no one would hear their conversation. While he couldn't see the man, he recognized his voice. "Whose side are you on, Lily? You had a job to do."

"I'm on Misono's side of course." Lily shrugged and he could imagine the frustration on the man's face very well. Despite knowing how dangerous the man he was speaking to was, he stayed firm. "I broke the wheel and forced us to come to the village like you told me to. It's a shame that you couldn't do anything to Tetsu with Misono so close but that couldn't be helped. They're engaged after all."

"Not for much longer though." The man countered and finally stepped out of the shadows so he could face Lily. He tilted cold eyes up at him. They were once warm but Lily couldn't see any hint of the boy he once knew. "Remember our deal. I'll protect your brother if you protect mine."

"I am and I wouldn't think of betraying anyone." Lily said with a light tone and the man turned sharply. He threw a dagger but it flew past Lily and into a stable. No sound followed the dull thud of the dagger hitting wood but the man's shoulders were still stiff. Lily knew that he would never reveal himself without being certain that they were alone. "There's no one there. It's not like you to be this paranoid."

"I'm not throwing caution to the wind and you shouldn't either. Next time, follow instructions and nothing more." The man pulled his hood over his head and walked out of the stables.

"You haven't changed at all." Lily sighed with a sad smile and followed him outside.

* * *

Kuro kept his hand over Mahiru's mouth and held his breath until he was certain that the two men were gone. He could feel Mahiru's heart racing in fear and gently rubbed circles on his back. Once Mahiru stopped shaking, Kuro dropped his hand but motioned for him to stay silent. If the two were still nearby and heard them, it would most likely lead to a confrontation.

They had been tending to the horses when the man entered. When he recognized the assassin Kuro immediately pulled Mahiru into one of the stables and hid in the hay. He decided to hide because he wouldn't be able to fight well while worrying about Mahiru. But now his mind was racing with questions about the conversation they heard.

"I think they're gone now." Kuro pulled away from Mahiru. "Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that, Kuro! You're bleeding." The dagger had nicked Kuro's cheek when he protected Mahiru from it. He pulled out a napkin and pressed it against his bleeding cheek. His hand was trembling slightly and Kuro squeezed it. "I don't think it'll leave a scar but does it hurt? We need to talk to the others about this."

"No." Kuro shook his head, shocking Mahiru. "I know Lily when I was younger and he wouldn't betray us. Let me talk to him and find out more. Until then, don't say a word about this to anyone. If I'm wrong and they discover you overheard them, they'll hurt you. Promise me."

Mahiru bit his lip in frustration. He had never been a follower and didn't like the thought of Kuro investigating on his own. "I won't tell anyone but I'm going to worry if you leave me in the dark. I want to help you. Fighting is your specialty but negotiations are mine. Please, let me help."

"Okay," Kuro sighed. Even though he wanted to keep Mahiru as far from danger as possible, he knew that he couldn't deter him when he had his mind set on something. He ran his hand through Mahiru's hair and picked off the hay. "But don't leave my side."

* * *

 _ **Was in a tetsono mood so decided to work on this.**_


End file.
